Portable power driven polishing tool



J. B. FLEMING ET AL PORTABLE POWER DRIVEN POLISHING TOOL Filed Jan. 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 COGJCOQDOOCDQHDO Oct. 24, 1933.

.1. B. FLEMING ET AL PORTABLE POWER DRIVEN POLISHING TOOL Filed Jan. 15, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VWW mm Y 3 J1 Patented Get; 24, I933 i cE V I 1,921,393" I PQETABLE Povviia eittfvniv sometime roor.

I JareillhartonFleming and Henry frest on, Baltimore Qounty, Md., assignors to The Deeli'er Manufaeturing Company,

Tease-n, M11,- a ccrporanmr of Maryland e anation January 1932. Serial-'No. 586,900

ii Claims.

The" polishing of motor vehicles by waxing has come" to be recognized as so essential to the preservation ofthe'finish and maintenance ofa presentable appearancethat this practice prom o ises to attain" themagnitude of a major indusi try, provided the work can be performed so economicallyjas to place it" Within the reach of thepuhlic in general. This treatment has been too expensive tobeindulged in frequency by the" average' owner of a motor vehicle'pr'incipally be cause of the hand'laoorinvolved, the most important item beingabout six or ten hours .rub bing to afiix'th'e wax to the surface and to distribute andpolish'it. The expense of this hand labor item has been so considerable as to act as a 'barto the general, orjit might" be said, universal adoption of the polished wax coating, as an external finish preservative; Whilethe wax" coating lasts several months underfavor-v able conditions, frequent cleaning and waxing is so beneficial effective in'preservih'g' the ap pearance of a motor vehicle that except for the excessive expehseiit would long sjinc ehave come to'be regarded as essential. I v The object of theip "ent invention is to provide means whereby the cleaning, wa'Xin'gj and polishing and all 01" at least ninetymin'e percent. of the rubbing incidental to these" operations can be performed quickly and efiiciently" by means of a portable power diven tool producingfa result at least equal to that produoedby hand without the exercise of'a great deal'of skill orefiort" and in one quarter'to one third of'the time previously required. This r'ed-uc'tion of the time andeifort required to perio rrh the clean ing', waxingandpolishing operations results in an important reductionin expense. ihe reduction in expense e'fi'ecteol by the power driven apparatus alreadycnthe market, has 40 'resulted'in a greatly increaseddeinandfor this treatment, but the present apparatus is so much more efiieient that it promises to; eifeeta; still further important increase with a'= correspending increase of revenue to the garages or other" 4 agencies which undertake theapplieation' of the treatment in a commercial way This increased dema'nd fortli'e treatment in u n has v lresuli';ed and Will further result in a coi'respondin'gly'in creased clemand'forllabori a The appa'atus oi theinvention isin'thenature of a strictly portable, hand controlledpower driven tool including a'-- rotary pol 'ing pad which is; applied to the Work to which a liquid cleaning fluid containing wax' in lsuspensionis fed during thecleani'ng and} polishing operations, It he of interest at thispoint" to'explain that -the-l .quid-after being ap rento use surface; is quickly evaporated by the f'r-i'ct'io'rfi'of the pad and thecirculation-of all due to the motion of the pad; :When the surface which has been wet with the'liqu id is thus dried, the dirt having been-released loy'the dissolution of grease and other material-holding it on the surfaeeis thrown off by the' action ofthe padin theform of a fine dust or powder. The Wax on the other hand adheres to" the surface and is soon brought to ahfigh polish; i I

The important features of the apparatus which is the'subject oi the'ihv'entio'n areil the-feeding of the liquid cleaning and waxing solution at will during the operation of the tool preferably while the padis' in motion, (2) the provision'of a reservoir for the liquid so arrangeclthat the sup ply therein is available for feedingunj every" position of the tool, (3) the hollow spindle in cooperation with the liquid reservoir mounted on the tool; (4) a s ecial outlet nozzle whereby the liquid directed toward the Work, preferably forwardly iroin a point near the center of the pad; '(5 )the feeding means for feeding the liquid from the reservoir through-the hollow spindle to the nozzle whereby itis projected upon the sur face toh'e polished, said feeding means and nozzle being as to every element easily removable for cleaning, inspection and replacement; the I varii ous details of Vtheap'par'atus' being of particular importance in connectionwith the novel pickup device or intake to draw the polish from the reservoir inany' position'oi the polishing tool. It-is of interest that thernat'e'rial-of which the pad is composedis trimmed away or otherwise arranged to leave the center of the pad open so that the center of thepad-can not become saturated with polish which may rem'ainWet on accountfoi the low peripheral speed at the center and thus interfere withthe'final finishing or polishing of'the Work. 'Thes'epoints or items of improvement are each of them regardedas' of importanceboth in combination each with the others andseparately considered; I i

t In the accompanying drawingswe have illus+ trated atoolembodying'the features of the 'invene tion the preferred term. i

In the drawings;' i a "Figural isa'plan view of the complete tool equipped with a rotary' polishing padof lambs wool-for thelike. i i igure 2 is a section on the line 2, 2 in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is aside-elevation having th'e center of the motor housing and motor broken away and removed for convenience of illustration. This figure also has portions broken away to show the underlying parts mainly in section on the longitudinal center line of the tool.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, each of which is used to indicate the same or similar parts in the different figures, the construction shown which is the preferred form of the tool, includes a motor housing or casing 1, in which is enclosed an electric or other suitable motor 2. At one end of the motor housing and secured thereto is a gear casing 3. and at the other end also secured to the housing 1 is a reservoir 4 for cleaning and polishing fluid. The spindle 5 for the polishing pad projects downwardly from the gear casing 3 preferably at right angles to the axis of the motor and the tool is shown as provided with a hand grip 6 which may be secured to the reservoir 4 projecting in a longitudinal direction oppositely to the gear casing. This may, of course, be otherwise arranged.

Referringmore particularly to the details of the tool, the spindle 5 is mounted in suitable rotary and thrust bearings '7 and 8 seated in the gear casing on the opposite, i. e., the upper and lower sides thereof, and the spindle 5 carries intermediately or" said bearings, a crown or similar toothed gear 9 which is engaged and driven by a corresponding pinion 10 on the motor shaft whereby the spindle and pad are driven in continuous rotation when the motor is energized.

The spindle 5 is hollow having an axial bore indicated by reference character 11. This serves as a passage for the polish for which purpose it is preferably provided with a non rotary tube 12 which extends downwardly therethrough and is shown as equipped at its lower end with a nozzle 14 to be further described. The spindle 5 is shown as reduced and threaded at 15 at its lower end where it carries at the top of the thread a flanged nut 16 or other positioning and supporting means for the disk 17 which supports the polishing pad 18. This is of the usual or any'suitable construction except as hereinafter specifically described. The pad as illustrated consists of a circular sheet 19 which may, if necessary, be suitably reinforced. In the form of the invention shown the backing sheet 19 which may be of hide or any suitable material, is provided with a coat of natural wool 20 or other suitable soft fibre which constitutes the rubbing and polishing element of the tool.

At the center of the pad this wool or other fibrous material 20 has been removed or omitted, leaving a flat clear portion of the hide or other support at 21 and the pad is secured to the spindle by means of a flat nut 22 which bears against the under side of the hide or other sheet material, or the pad may be secured in any suitable manner. It will be noted that the wool is clipped back or otherwise removed at 24, leaving an outwardly flaring central opening 25 through which the polishing material 26 is sprayed on to the work as illustrated at 26. The absence of the polising fibre from a considerable area at the center of the pad is of importance in that it prevents the retention of the liquid at this point where the lack of sufiicient velocity of the pad to evaporate it by frictional heat and air draft would cause the pad to remain wet throughout the process with the result that it would interfere with the final polishing of the waxed surface.

The axial tube 12 which is located in the bore 11 at the center of the spindle 5 enters and is secured at its upper end to a fitting 27 which overlies and covers an opening 28 in the top of the gear casing 3. This fitting is connected to the reservoir 4 by longitudinal delivery tube or pipe 29 which is secured at one end in said fitting which is suitably apertured to connect the pipes or tubes 12 and 29, and at its other end the tube 29 is connected to a fitting or cover 30 which closes the top of the reservoir 4.

The cover member 30 of the reservoir 4 in the preferred form of the invention shown is provided with an inwardly or downwardly projecting portion 32 which as shown is bored at 33 at right angles to the plane of the cover to form a pump cylinder and at 34 to form an intake passage for the pump. This intake passage is provided with a non-return valve 35 opening inwardly toward the cylinder, the projecting portion 32 as shown is also apertured or bored at 36 to provide a delivery passage which is closed against suction by a non-return ball valve 37. This passage 36 is connected as shown or in any suitable manner to the delivery pipe 29. The bottom end of the cylinder and said passages are as shown closed by a bottom plate 23 or in any suitable manner.

The pump cylinder or bore 33 contains as shown a piston 38 fitted to slide therein. This piston or plunger is provided at its upper end with a button 39 for engagement by the thumb or hand of the operator. The portion of the piston 38 above the cylinder 33 is shown as encircled by a helical spring 40 which bears at one end against the button or thumb seat 39, and at the other end against the cover 30 holding the piston 33 normally in raised position so that it may be pressed downwardly at the will of the operator in any convenient manner as by application thereto of the thumb of the hand which holds the grip 6. When the piston is thus pressed downwardly, it performs a pumping stroke in conjunction with the cylinder 33 and the valves 35 and 3'? whereby the contents of the cylinder is forced into the delivery pipes 36, 29, and downwardly through the tube 12 to and through the nozzle 14.

An important feature of the invention consists in the pickup device 41. In accordance with the invention the intake or suction passage 34 which in the form of the invention shown is included in the cover casting 30 and particularly in the projection 32 in which the cylinder is formed, is equipped at a convenient point which is shown as immediately adjacent the cover proper, although this is not essential, with a nipple 42 con nected directly to the intake or suction passage 34. This nipple 42 is adapted to receive and engage the end of a thin, highly flexible rubber or other suitable tube 43 which forms an extension of the intake or suction passage 34. This tube in the preferred form is preferably of a length approaching the length of the radius of the reservoir 4 which as shown has its bottom wall 44 formed on an arc the center of which is at the nipple 42. This exact arrangement is not absolutely essential, but it contributes to th efliciency with which the pump is enabled to deliver substantially the entire contents of the reservoir.-

The pickup device 41 further includes an intake member referred to for convenience as a nozzle 45, which is preferably weighted to a sufiicient extent to cause it to hex or bend the tube 43 as 1 the tool is swung and its position changed, so that the nozzle or intake member 45 will be in the vas rious positions of the tool occupy or approach the lowest point in the reservoir where the liquid is deepest, enabling the tool to utilize practically the Too menses the polish to the, work; Any suitable gravity controlled movable intake: may be substituted for the oneshown.

Thejreservoiris provided with a filler plug 47; in a conveniently located: fill-er opening; This-"filler plug isprovided' withanair inlet valve which may be locatedin anydesired position. As shown, itis inthe'form' of a ball valve 48 opening inwardly and; normally closed by alight spring 49" soas to permit the entrance o-f'airand prevent t-heescape offthe'li'quid when the tool is tipped so-as to sub-- merge the'inner facerof the-plug; The airadmi-t ted in this way replacesethe liquid consumed andprevents' theformation of a vacuum which would interfere with the action; ofthe; pumpin feeding th iq- 1 f In the operation offcl'eaning; waxing and-pol ishi'ng 'a lacquered jsurfjace which isthe main function ofthe'apparatus', the reservoir 4 is filled '25 with a suitable liquid which preferably serves as a cleaningagent being easily evaporated by heat and" draft from the polishing pad; This; liquid preferably contains a sufficient quantity of wax .7 7 tojcoatthe surface being treated as hereinafter described or the wax may be otherwise applied.

When the tool thus prepared beingplaced with the pad in contact with: the lacquered surface, thej'rnotor is started causing thepad to rotate it at the desired speed. The-tool isat thist-imei supported by a hand gripping'the handle G and liquid Thespring raises' the piston'af-ter each downstroke resulting in a pumping actionwhich project? a Sufficient: quantity ofithepolish from V V the'nozzle le'intocontact with the lacqueredsurface as shown by the illustration of the spray t 251. The tool is'thenimovedbaok andfforth with a: so

the polishing ad';18i in rotationyand in contact with the surface to beltreated; g v The liquidjdescribed for; which any suitable iquid leane and/0r w preparation be substituted; serves firsti to cleanthe accumulated dirt from the surface, dissolvingthe'adhesive element asgrease or the like and as the'operati'on progresses'and the' solvent is evaporated; the dirt isthrown ofifin the form ofa'fine dust and" the is ausedi o adhe o xs s c Ye h operation is) completed this; wax is brought'to a high polisht The'padis'then movedJfrom place to place. treating the entire surface; in* units-of relativelyv smallj area}, the operation being com-- pleted and; repeated zfor each new area encountered. v 'i i The inclination: of the; nozzle is of." particular aclvantagain projecting the liquid forwardly into contact with the lacquer beneath the, working surface, of the pad, also in that it projectsithe liquid into morejor lessiinao'oessible areas which can only be reaohedtoadvantage by'the'aforward edgebfjthe padi i As the tool is moyed to various positions and rock d; ickiand forth; inass sgt e pa e the surface of'thewo'rky-the supply of liquid in loss of about one half hour.

the reservoir isgrad-ually depleted, leaving: more. or less of the space within the reservoir unfilled; Underth'esecircumstances,- the available supply of liquid moves to various locations within the reservoir, the force of gravity causing itto: seek the-lowest point atall times; important ad vantage of the present-apparatus is that the in? take-member or nozzle 4'5-- being: suflloientlyr Weighted to flex the'tube 43-- f (allows the available supply of liquidand is -l zept constantly submerged particularly as to its intake endsodongeas thereis any liquid available This avoids interruption of the supply of" liquid to the pump and hencetothe discharge nozzle 14 and makes the tool" ca pa-ble of application to the work in any and every peswomnwhich the-tool canbe placed and held: by the' operator in contactwith-thesurface being: treated.

1 Wheneverthe liquid which has been applied to the work has evaporated inthe operation of the polisher and thesurface thuscovered with liquid has been cleaned and polished, the thumb of the operatoris again applied tothe=button 39 of the piston- 3&'causing one or: more additional strokes.

of thepiston whereby afurther supplyof" liquid 1119' ispassed through the tubes36, 29, 12andprojected from-the nozzle 14 as illustrated in Figure; 3* in theoperativerelation toand withthe pad-i Thisspray is directeol against anew area to be cleaned and polished. ms:

It is of considerable advantage-invthe' operation of the-polisherthat" it is: not necessary or desirable in thus providing arrenew'ed supply: ofthe liquid to stop the'motor'or'inany way to-interfere with thepolishing-operation In this conmo nection it is of interest that during the polishing operation itis necessary togive close attention tothe work: and that to be compell'eol to stop the work and remove the tool and layit down-to apply tlie liquid results in'adistinct disadvantage 1215 asto thequality of-' the workas-well as in animportant loss ofltime; In: an instance actually noted the operator was compelled to stop work sixty-two timestoapply the liquid in polishing one motor vehicle; Thisresulted in: the vactual m It is also of interest that the apparatus is so constructed that not only can-cover: 30 beremoved; togetherwith the'pumpcylinder 3,3 and the passages 34 and. 36', and the flexib1epi'ckup-I25 41,"a11 'of'wh ch can be' thusoverhauled at any time, but the'tube 29 can be-released from'the cover fitting 30*by-screw: and the fitting: 2'7 being released; both tubes- 29- and 12 and' nozzle 14 can be removed and cleaned making the on- 180 tire apparatus capable of instantaneous inspection and overhauling incase of clogging so that the operationof the device can not be interfered Within-this way. I

Itis'-further of interest that the fleece or rub bing element 18=being removed from-a consider V able'area at the center of 'the pad, the chance-that A the central portion of the. pad which movesat a comparatively] slow speed when. the pad rotates will accumulate liquid polish and-remain wet,

, tionbei ng-specific-and in detail in order that-"the manner of constructing; applying; operating'and, using-the invention may be fully understood; however-,'*the termshereinaraused desoriptiyelyiratherthan in a limiting sense, the scope of the invention being defined in the claims.

' What we claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is:

1. A portable power driven polisher having a hand grip whereby it is engaged by the operator said controlling means having actuating means immediately adjacent the hand grip whereby the fluid supply controlling means can be operated by the gripping hand, during the operation of the tool and without releasing the gripor discontinuing the operation of the tool or the guiding and controlling action.

2. A portable power driven polishing tool com prising a moving polishing pad, a delivery passage for polish extending toward the work in the vicinity of the pad, a hand grip whereby the polisher is'supported by hand and moved over the ,work, a reservoir for polish, a pump having a spring retracted piston with means within reach of the hand of the operator as it engages the grip for advancing the piston, means connecting the delivery side of the pump to the delivery passage, the intake side of the pump being connected to the reservoir near the bottom thereof.

- 3. In a portable polisher for treating the lacquered surfaces of motor vehicles and the like and adapted to be manually supported and controlled, an electric motor having a casing, a power operated pad mounted on the casing with its axis transverse. to the motor axis, means. operatively connecting the pad to the said motor, means for discharging polishing liquid in operative relation to the work and pad, thereby bringing it in contactgwith the surface being treated, a reservoir for liquid polish mounted on the motor casing and having a wall curved about the motor axis, a pump also mounted on the polisher and having its delivery end connected tothe said discharge, the pump having a freely movable intake pipe secured near said axis adapted to be swung by gravity, a weight at the intake causing the intake end thereof to follow said curve and to be normally submerged beneath the liquid in the reservoir in the various operative positions of the polisher.

4-. In a portable power driven polisherhaving a power operated pad and means for discharging polish and bringing it in contact with the surface being treated during the operation of the polisher, a reservoir for polish having a removable cover,

-a pump cylinder mounted on the cover and extending downwardly into the reservoir, 'meahs connecting the delivery side of the pump to said discharge, the pump having an intake passage .with its intake end beneath the liquid polish of a power operated pad and means for discharging polish and bringing it in contact with the surface being treated during the operation of the polisher,

a reservoir for polish having .a removable cover, a pump cylinder mounted on the cover extending downwardly into the reservoir, means connecting the delivery side of the pump to said discharge,

the. pump having. an intake passage, said intake passage beingflexible and gravity controlld to fol low the supplyv of liquid and. remaining submerged therein as the polisher is moved from one operative position to another.

6. In a portable power driven polisher adapted to be'manually supported and controlled for use in treating lacquered surfaces of motor vehicles and the like, a rotary polishing pad, a hollow spindle on which the pad is mounted, a source of power connected to said'spindle, a reservoir having a pump with controlling means within convenient distance to be operated by a hand of the operator without releasing the polisher or discontinuing its operation, said pump being removbie and having a delivery pipe connected-thereto, a tube with a nozzle extending downward through the hollow spindle and a fitting connecting the pipe to the tube whereby the tube, the nozzle, pipe and pump are instantaneously removable for cleaning and overhauling.

'7. In a portable polisher for treating the lacquered surfaces of motor vehicles and the like a grip whereby the polisher is manually supported and controlled, an electric motor having a casing, a rotary pad, means connecting the pad to said motor to be operated thereby, means for discharging polishing liquid near the operating surface of the pad thereby bringing it in contact with the surface being treated, a reservoir'for liquid polish secured to the motor casing at the axial end, the grip beingsecured to the reservoir on the side opposite the motor and in alignment withthe axis, a pump also mounted on the motor casing adjacent the grip to be operated by the gripping hand and having'its delivery end connected to the said discharge, the pump having a flexible intake pipe within the reservoir with a weight attached'to the intake end of said pipe causing said intake end to be normally submerged beneath the liquid in the reservoir in the various operative positions of the polisher, the reservoir having a removable cover adapted to hold the pump and said connection in operative relation toand with the reservoirf v 8. In a portable power driven polishing tool having a hand grip, a power'operated pad and means for discharging polish whereby it is brought in contact with the surface being treated, a reservoir for polish, a pump having a spring retracted piston immediately adjacent the grip so that it can be depressed by the hand of the operator engaging the grip without releasing the grip, means connecting the delivery side of the a pump to the discharge and means connecting the suction side of the pump to the reservoir beneath the liquid.

9. ,A hand supported portable power driven polishingtool for use in treatingthe lacquered surfaces of automobile hoods, fenders, etc. comprising anfelectric motor, a rotary polishing pad mounted at one end of the motor with itsaxis substantially at right angles thereto and connected to the motor to be operated thereby,a reservoir secured to the other end of the motor and a hand grip for supporting the tool extending beyond the reservoir oppositely to the motor in' substantial alignment with the axis, a'pump con- 'nected to the reservoir, the pump having a discharge for leading the fluid to the center' of the pad, and means immediately adjacent the grip whereby the pump may be operated by the hand engaging the grip and controlling the tool.

, 10. A hand supported portable power driven polishing tool for treatingthe lacquered surfaces of motor vehicle bodiesjhoo ds fenders, etc. comprising an electric motor, a rotary polishing pad mounted at one end of the motor with its axis substantially at right angles thereto and connected to the motor to be operated thereby, a reservoir secured to the other end of the motor and a hand grip for supporting the tool extending beyond the reservoir opposite to the motor in substantial alignment with the axis, a pump connected to the reservoir, the pump having adischarge for leading the fluid tothe center of the pad and means immediately adjacent the grip 7 whereby the pump may be operated by the hand engaging the grip and controlling the tool, the reservoir being substantially flat in a plane transverse to the axis of the motor, the pump having a flexible intake inside the reservoir mounted to swing transversely to the axis as the tool is rocked causing the intake to remain submerged beneath the fluid in the reservoir. v

11. A portable power driven polishing tool 'for treating the lacquered surfaces of automobile bodies, hoods, fenders, etc. comprising an electric motor having a casing, a polishing pad mounted on the casing and connected to the motor to be rotated thereby, a hand grip whereby the tool 

